Camera stand having an unlimited range of motion along an axis of rotation

Abstract

This application discloses a stand assembly that includes a receiving element for physically receiving a module, and a base assembly for supporting the receiving element. The receiving element further includes a module holding structure, an extended portion, and a first fastener structure coupled to an end of the extended portion. The base assembly includes a base, and a second fastener structure coupled to the base at a joint and configured to mate with the first fastener structure. The first fastener structure and the joint are configured to respectively provide a first degree of freedom of motion and a second degree of freedom of motion of the receiving element with respect to the base. The movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mechanical assembly, comprising:
 a first fastener structure including a screw hole, the screw hole including at least a threaded portion having a non-threaded outer surface; 
 a second fastener structure including a screw structure, the second fastener structure being configured to mate with the first fastener structure, the screw structure including at least a threaded portion; and 
 a low friction bushing that wraps around the first fastener structure, wherein rotation of the low friction bushing with respect to the first fastener structure is constrained to a single axis of rotation; 
 wherein the screw hole of the first fastener structure and the screw structure of the second fastener structure are threaded to mate with each other, and are configured such that, when mated with one another, the low friction bushing rotates with respect to the non-threaded outer surface of the threaded portion of the screw hole about the single axis of rotation after the threaded portion of the screw hole is substantially tightened onto the threaded portion of the screw structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first fastener structure is configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion with respect to the second fastener structure; and 
 after the first fastener structure is tightened to the second fastener structure, the low friction bushing is configured to move with respect to the tightened first and second fastener structures at the first degree of movement, and movement of the low friction bushing at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom. 
 
     
     
       3. The mechanical assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at the first degree of freedom of motion, the unlimited movement of the low friction bushing at the first direction of travel is associated with a first torque resistance, and the first torque resistance is substantially greater than a second torque resistance that is required to unfasten the first fastener structure from the second fastener structure in the reverse direction of travel. 
     
     
       4. The mechanical assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first fastener structure further includes a spring washer that is configured to render a substantially consistent resistance for the unlimited movement of the low friction bushing in the first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom of motion. 
     
     
       5. The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a receiving element for physically receiving a module, the receiving element including a module holding structure that holds the module and an extended portion that extends from the module holding structure, wherein the first fastener structure is coupled to an end of the extended portion; and 
 a base assembly for supporting the receiving element, the base assembly including a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface, wherein the second fastener structure is coupled to the base; 
 wherein:
 the first fastener structure is configured to provide to the receiving element a first degree of freedom of motion with respect to the base; 
 while the first fastener structure is tightened to the second fastener structure, movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom; 
 the first degree of freedom is associated with a reverse direction of travel that is opposite to the first direction of travel associated with the unlimited movement at the first degree of freedom, and the first and second fastener structures are unfastened when the receiving element moves with respect to the base assembly in the reverse direction of travel associate with the first degree of freedom; 
 the screw hole of the first fastener structure is configured to be tightened onto the screw structure along the direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom, and when the receiving element moves further along the direction of travel, the screw hole of the first fastener structure is fixed with respect to the second fastener structure of the base assembly; and 
 
 the low friction bushing is fixed inside the extended portion of the receiving element, and in accordance with the unlimited movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom, the low friction bushing wraps around the first fastener structure, and rotates as part of the receiving element with respect to the base assembly, and with respect to the first fastener structure when the first fastener structure is tightened onto the second fastener structure of the base assembly. 
 
     
     
       6. The mechanical assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the extended portion of the receiving element includes a thread locker embedded therein, and the first fastener structure includes a shoulder screw, and wherein the shoulder screw is configured to lock into place with the thread locker for the purposes of fastening the first fastener structure to the receiving element. 
     
     
       7. The mechanical assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the module holding structure of the receiving element includes a cutout opening that has a shape conforming to a contour of the module, and is configured to hold the module when the module is inserted within the cutout opening. 
     
     
       8. The mechanical assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the base includes a planar surface for resting against the supporting surface, the second fastener structure is coupled to the base at a joint configured to provide a second degree of freedom of motion of the receiving element with respect to the base, the movement of the receiving element at the second degree of freedom has substantially consistent resistance through a second full range of motion associated with the second degree of freedom, and the second degree of freedom of motion at the joint is associated with flipping of the receiving element with respect to a flipping axis that passes through the joint and is substantially parallel to the planar surface of the base. 
     
     
       9. The mechanical assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the base includes a planar surface for resting against the supporting surface, and the first degree of freedom of motion is associated with twisting of the receiving element with respect to a twisting axis that passes through the receiving element and is perpendicular to the planar surface of the base. 
     
     
       10. The mechanical assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the base assembly further includes:
 a magnet plate, wherein the magnet plate is mechanically attached to the base such that the magnet plate is adjacent to or forms a portion of a bottom surface of the base, and the magnet plate has a bottom surface area that is smaller than a surface area of the bottom surface of the base. 
 
     
     
       11. The mechanical assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a mount structure that is configured to be attached and fixed onto a mounting surface using one or more mount fasteners, wherein at least part of the mount structure is made of magnetically attractable material, and the assembly is mounted onto the mounting surface when the base of the base assembly magnetically adheres onto the mount structure. 
 
     
     
       12. The mechanical assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the mount structure further includes a cable guide structure for guiding a cable that electrically couples the module received in the receiving element to an external power supply or a separate electronic device. 
     
     
       13. The mechanical assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic attraction force between the base of the stand assembly and the mount structure enables secure attachment of the module onto the mounting surface, and the secure attachment satisfies one or more Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards that set forth at least safety requirements for mounting the module onto a mounting surface. 
     
     
       14. The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the screw hole of the first fastener structure matches a tripod screw of a standard tripod, and the mechanical assembly is configured to mount on the standard tripod when the tripod screw is tightened into the threaded screw hole. 
     
     
       15. The mechanical assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastener structure is structurally invisible to a user of the mechanical assembly. 
     
     
       16. A system, comprising:
 a first fastener structure including a screw hole, the screw hole including at least a threaded portion having a non-threaded outer surface; 
 a second fastener structure including a screw structure, the second fastener structure being configured to mate with the first fastener structure, the screw structure including at least a threaded portion; and 
 a low friction bushing that wraps around the first fastener structure, wherein rotation of the low friction bushing with respect to the first fastener structure is constrained to a single axis of rotation; 
 wherein the screw hole of the first fastener structure and the screw structure of the second fastener structure are threaded to mate with each other, and are configured such that, when mated with one another, the low friction bushing rotates with respect to the non-threaded outer surface of the threaded portion of the screw hole about the single axis of rotation after the threaded portion of the screw hole is substantially tightened onto the threaded portion of the screw structure. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first fastener structure is configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion with respect to the second fastener structure; and 
 after the first fastener structure is tightened to the second fastener structure, the low friction bushing is configured to move with respect to the tightened first and second fastener structures at the first degree of movement, and movement of the low friction bushing at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein at the first degree of freedom of motion, the unlimited movement of the low friction bushing at the first direction of travel is associated with a first torque resistance, and the first torque resistance is substantially greater than a second torque resistance that is required to unfasten the first fastener structure from the second fastener structure in the reverse direction of travel. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a receiving element for physically receiving a module, the receiving element including a module holding structure that holds the module, and an extended portion that extends from the module holding structure, wherein the first fastener structure is coupled to an end of the extended portion; and 
 a base assembly for supporting the receiving element, the base assembly including a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface, wherein the second fastener structure is coupled to the base; 
 wherein:
 the first fastener structure is configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion with respect to the base; 
 while the first fastener structure is tightened to the second fastener structure, the movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom; 
 the movement of the receiving element at the second degree of freedom is limited in a direction of travel associated with the second degree of freedom; 
 the first degree of freedom is associated with a reverse direction of travel that is opposite to the first direction of travel associated with the unlimited movement at the first degree of freedom, and the first and second fastener structures are unfastened when the receiving element moves with respect to the base assembly in the reverse direction of travel associate with the first degree of freedom; 
 the screw hole of the first fastener structure matches the screw structure of the second fastener structure, and is configured to be tightened onto the screw structure along the direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom, and when the receiving element moves further along the direction of travel, the screw hole of the first fastener structure is fixed with respect to the second fastener structure of the base assembly; and 
 the low friction bushing is fixed inside the extended portion of the receiving element, and in accordance with the unlimited movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom, the low friction bushing wraps around the first fastener structure, and rotates as part of the receiving element with respect to the base assembly, and with respect to the first fastener structure when the first fastener structure is tightened onto the second fastener structure of the base assembly. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the module holding structure of the receiving element includes a cutout opening that has a shape conforming to a contour of the module, and is configured to hold the module when the module is inserted within the cutout opening. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a mount structure that is configured to be attached and fixed onto a mounting surface using one or more mount fasteners, wherein at least part of the mount structure is made of magnetically attractable material, and the assembly is mounted onto the mounting surface when the base of the base assembly magnetically adheres onto the mount structure. 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the threaded screw hole that matches a tripod screw of a standard tripod, and the system is configured to mount on the standard tripod when the tripod screw is tightened into the threaded screw hole. 
     
     
       23. A camera assembly, comprising:
 a first fastener structure including a screw hole, the screw hole including at least a threaded portion having a non-threaded outer surface; 
 a second fastener structure including a screw structure, the second fastener structure being configured to mate with the first fastener structure, the screw structure including at least a threaded portion; and 
 a low friction bushing that wraps around the first fastener structure, wherein rotation of the low friction bushing with respect to the first fastener structure is constrained to a single axis of rotation; 
 wherein the screw hole of the first fastener structure and the screw structure of the second fastener structure are threaded to mate with each other, and are configured such that, when mated with one another, the low friction bushing rotates with respect to the non-threaded outer surface of the threaded portion of the screw hole about the single axis of rotation after the threaded portion of the screw hole is substantially tightened onto the threaded portion of the screw structure. 
 
     
     
       24. The camera assembly of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the first fastener structure is configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion with respect to the second fastener structure; and 
 after the first fastener structure is tightened to the second fastener structure, the low friction bushing is configured to move with respect to the tightened first and second fastener structures at the first degree of movement, and movement of the low friction bushing at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom. 
 
     
     
       25. The camera assembly of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a receiving element for physically receiving a camera module, the receiving element including a module holding structure that holds the camera module and an extended portion that extends from the module holding structure, wherein the first fastener structure is coupled to an end of the extended portion; and 
 a base assembly for supporting the receiving element, the base assembly including a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface, wherein the second fastener structure is coupled to the base; 
 wherein:
 the first fastener structure is configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion; 
 while the first fastener structure is tightened to the second fastener structure, the movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom; 
 the movement of the receiving element at the second degree of freedom is limited in a direction of travel associated with the second degree of freedom; 
 the first degree of freedom is associated with a reverse direction of travel that is opposite to the first direction of travel associated with the unlimited movement at the first degree of freedom, and the first and second fastener structures are unfastened when the receiving element moves with respect to the base assembly in the reverse direction of travel associate with the first degree of freedom; 
 the screw hole of the first fastener structure matches the screw structure of the second fastener structure, and is configured to be tightened onto the screw structure along the direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom, and when the receiving element moves further along the direction of travel, the screw hole of the first fastener structure is fixed with respect to the second fastener structure of the base assembly; and 
 the low friction bushing is fixed inside the extended portion of the receiving element, and in accordance with the unlimited movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom, the low friction bushing wraps around the first fastener structure, and rotates as part of the receiving element with respect to the base assembly, and with respect to the first fastener structure when the first fastener structure is tightened onto the second fastener structure of the base assembly. 
 
 
     
     
       26. The camera assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the module holding structure of the receiving element includes a cutout opening that has a shape conforming to a contour of the module, and is configured to hold the module when the module is inserted within the cutout opening. 
     
     
       27. The camera assembly of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a mount structure that is configured to be attached and fixed onto a mounting surface using one or more mount fasteners, wherein at least part of the mount structure is made of magnetically attractable material, and the assembly is mounted onto the mounting surface when the base of the base assembly magnetically adheres onto the mount structure. 
 
     
     
       28. The camera assembly of  claim 23 , further comprising a camera module. 
     
     
       29. The camera assembly of  claim 23 , wherein at the first degree of freedom of motion, the unlimited movement of the low friction bushing at the first direction of travel is associated with a first torque resistance, and the first torque resistance is substantially greater than a second torque resistance that is required to unfasten the first fastener structure from the second fastener structure in the reverse direction of travel. 
     
     
       30. The camera assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the threaded screw hole matches a tripod screw of a standard tripod, and the camera assembly is configured to mount on the standard tripod when the tripod screw is tightened into the threaded screw hole.